Niacin is one of many essential B vitamins you need to maintain optimal health. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, most Americans get average amounts of niacin from their daily diets compared with their Recommended Daily Allowance, or RDA. If you eat a variety of foods rich in this vitamin, a niacin supplement probably isn't necessary.
Function
Niacin also goes by the name of vitamin B3 and nicotinic acid, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC. As a member of the B vitamin group, niacin helps you metabolize carbohydrates into the fuel you need for energy; B vitamins also help your body metabolize protein and fats and encourage a healthy nervous system, as well as healthy hair, eyes and skin. Niacin's more specific function is to aid in circulation, reduce blood cholesterol, and help your adrenal glands manufacture sex and stress-related hormones, says the UMMC. Niacin, like other B vitamins, is water-soluble; your body does not store it.
Recommended Daily Allowance
Your RDA for niacin varies depending on age, gender and other factors. Adult men age 19 and older need 16 mg of niacin daily, while women the same age need 14 mg, says the Linus Pauling Institute. Pregnant women need 18 mg of niacin daily, and those who are nursing should get 17 mg.
Niacin Supplements
Niacin deficiency is uncommon in developed nations such as the United States, making a niacin supplement for general nutrition generally unnecessary. UMMC notes that niacin deficiency among Americans is generally not caused by inadequate diet, but due to alcoholism, which causes vitamin B3 deficiency. Niacin supplements are sold without the need for prescription in numerous forms, including niacinamide and inositol hexaniacinate, and are available in regular and time-release tablets and capsules. Supplemental niacin is sometimes used as a medical treatment for conditions such as high cholesterol, but this type of treatment is administered by a physician.
Dietary Niacin
Niacin comes from many dietary sources, including dairy foods, poultry, fish, lean meats, eggs, nuts, beans, breads and cereals, according to the National Institutes of Health, or NIH. An interesting fact about dietary niacin is that your body can convert it from dietary tryptophan, which is found in dairy products, according to the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library.
Warning
Niacin supplements can interact with medications you take and may not be appropriate for all populations, specifically those with liver disease, stomach ulcers, diabetes, gout and gall bladder disease, according to the UMMC, which recommends taking dietary supplements only with your doctor's consent. Even a 30 mg dose of niacin is enough to cause skin flushing, says the Linus Pauling Institute. If you're concerned that you're not getting the right amount of vitamins and minerals, follow the institute's recommendation and take a daily multivitamin that gives you 100 percent of your RDA for essential vitamins and minerals.
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